
Class 

Book 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 




By H. H. Bennett. 



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^be Hdisconsin ©cUs. 



'^SEP 15 1893^. 



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Press of The Evening Wisconsin Co., Milwaukee, wis 



COPYRIGHTED BY H»H. BENNETT. 1893 




autotirapbs of Qm pait\) an& llnci&ent5 of ©ur Stav> at tbc "Sells. 




tbc tXlisconsin 2>cU6. 



-©' 



III calling the attention of the readers of this little bo«>k to the 
rare beauty and wonders of the reiiion it attempts to describe, we feel 
that we are only jierloruiinjr a i)leas:»nt duty we owe every lover of 
the picturesque and beautiful in nature. As it may come to the notice 
of Some who have never visited the Dells of the Wisi-onsin, we be- 
lieve the first information given should be as to locality and how to 
best reach the place. In brief, then, the Dells are about one hundred 
:.nd twenty-five miles aViove where the Wi.-iconsin Kiver empties iiit" 
the Mississippi at Prairie du Chien, a little south and west of what 
Would be considered the center of the state. Four daily pa.ssen};er 
trains from Chicago and Milwaukee on the east and from Minneapolis 
and St. Paul ou the north west.over the direct route between these points 
of the Chii-airo, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, alford ready, commu- 
nication witli all parts of the country with the little Villajjc of Kil- 
bourn City, Wisconsin; and here, reader, you are invited to stop and 
look about a little, and we leave the probability of your stay for 
the summer, or the repetition of your visit, to be settled in your own 
mind, after a day in the Dells. Our hotel accommodations are excel- 
lent, and for such as prefer the quiet of a home, jirivate boarding 
houses offer all that can be desired. t?afe, pleasant and commodious 
steamers, under the efficient management of the "'Wisconsin Dells Re- 
sort Company," ply the river subject to the order of tourists within 
such limits as to time as will best accommodate all their patrons. 

The Dells consist of a series of Potsdam sandstune ditis extend- 
ing about seven miles along the banks of the Wisconsin River. By 
the action of the water these cliffs, soft and friable, have been cut into 
such grotesque, curious and beautiful forms, and of such endless vari- 
e\v, that the eve never tires of looking at them. The ride on the 



river is not the least among the attRjctions of a visit here. The stream 
at the head of the Dells is broad and shallow and dotted with a bevy 
of lovely green islands, heavily timbered with oak. willow and a 
sprinkling nf evergreens. .\s it enters the jiass between the difls the 
river narrows and deepens, till midway ilow n it is confined for a mile 
to less than a hundred feet, and in one place the rocky shores have 
hugged the stream into the space of fifty-two feet. The rocks on 
either side are covered with flowers and ferns and mosses down to the 
water's edge, and these, under the bright sun, are most charmingly 
reproiluced in the still waters below. Through this delightful pa.s.-i;«ge 
by sunlight and by moonlight, the little steamer ploughs its way, and 
old and young, and everybody, tell us it is passing beautiful. No little 
pains and expense have been taken to make the more remarkable 
glens and canons accessible for ladies and it is possible to visit 

• Witches" Gulch," "Coldwater Canon," "Rood's Glen," and a hun- 
dred other points of interest, with ease and comfort. All these ra- 
vines anil caverns unnumbered abound in the curious, the wild and 
the weird. 

As to the be.st way to see the Dells, those who have tried it will cer- 
tainly tell you to take the steamer for the up-stream trip, but before 
leaving the landing to engage a guide, >rith his staunch and comfortable 
keel boat to bring you back, thus givingan opportunityof seeing so much 
in detail that is not seen or realized from the steamer's deck, and 

where landing a steamboat is impossible. The guides here are strong, 
capalile, <-ourtei«us and obliging gentlemen, w ho have spent years in 
their work, thereby becoming expert with oars and the management 
of their boats, knowing where everything of interest is to be found. 

with certain knowiedsre of the location of every sand bar or reef of 



I'ock. If for any ri'iiwiii you cliuose to he yoiir own iruldc and oaiv- 
man they will furninh you a boat to lie taken up by the uteanier; or, 
tlie triji eau be made lioth ways ou the steamer, which affords time to 
visit Coldwater Canon and Witches' Gulch. Two round trii)s are made 
each day, in both forenoon and afternoon, and, in addition, occasional 
moonlight excursions, which are particularly enjoyable. 

Occasionally Indians are to be met about the Dells now, but no 
longer ago than the late ]S.50's there were great numbers of them here, 
subsisting chiefly by hunting and fishing, the river yielding large 
quantities of sturgeon, catfish, pickerel, bass and many other varieties 
of fish to their expert use of spear and line. Then, and prior to that 
time, there were three tribes here, C'hippewas, .Menomonees and 
Winnebagoes, easily distinguished by the color of blanket worn. The 
languages of these tribes ilifi'ered quite materially , yet not so much so that 
they could not understand one another very well with the aid of signs. 
Later they were removed to reservations North and in the West. 
Is it any wonder they did not want to go, leaving a region so beautiful 
and perfectly adapted to tTieir life, and that they should protest em- 
phatically against being eom- 
jiellcd to go, even to the ex- 
tent of deciding in their eoun- 
'ils, as the Winnebagoes did, 
who were the last to be taken 
away (about 1870), that they 
would fight if necessary i-ather 
I lian be removed to Nebraska? 
r.ut their war spirit fled when 
a few troops came and they 
went peacefully, though many 
lit them came back on foot, 
reaching here sooner than 
the agents who took them 
away did by modern convey- 
ance. 




Among those wlio owned land and so could not lie coniiielled to go 
was Yellow Thunder ( Wali-kon-ja-z-gali), a warrior chief; though one 
hundred and twenty years old at the time of the removal of his tribe, 
his war spirit was aroused to such 
an extent that he counseled re- 
sistance, even to the shedding the 
last drop of his pepole's blood. 
His farm, acquired under An- 
drew Jackson's admiiustration, 
was located about five miles from 
the foot of the Dells and consiste<l 
of a forty-acre tract, quite well 
cultivated, and on which there 
was a log house, but the old man 
preferred to live in a tent ( Wouc- 
chig-ah-che-dah) close by, except 
at times when he was desirous of 
adopting the customs of civiliza- 
tion, then he would sleep in the 
house, inside the rails of an old 
bedstead, upon the ground. Ilie 
house having no floor. 

A belief of the older ones of 
these people is that a part of their 
life goes into a picture taken of themselves, this superstition was a 
source of trouble, not to say danger, to an artist who managed to get 
a picture of Yellow Thunder in the autumn preceding the spring in 
which he died, because many of his trilie believed that in some mys- 
terious way the process of making the picture had abs(jrbeil what 
should have been the remaining years of his life. 

They are an interesting people, full of tradition, superstition and 
beliefs that will amuse, if not be instructive, to any one who can gain 
their good will and so persuade them to talk of themselves. 




NAlI-.n -Zi - 



-ni:itU .s i.\ I 





"Any iittrin|it at (lcsrri|itiiin of the Dells would lie iiu-oiiiiilete 
witlioiit reference to tiie stnilio o)']I. II. Ueniiett, located in Killiourn, 
whose views of the Dells first brought tlu'ui to the notice of the out- 
side world, and which have attained a ilc;.'ree of ])hotographic and 
artistic incril that has uivcn him i-anU with the hest landscape |diotip 
artists of ihi' worhl. 
At his iilace you will 
finda lartieand \aried 
collection of iiictures, 
not aloneoflhe Dells, 
but of the surround- 
ing scenic attractions. 
Not till' least of tlie 
pleasui'e of our visit 
to the Dells was the 
I i ni e spent in the 
Dennett studio." 

The accompany- 
inf.' illustrati(Uis are 
half-tone re|)roduc- 
ti(Uis from a few of 
the many hundred 
t' X c e 1 1 e n t plioto- 
lirapliic \i<'\vs em- 
hraceil in Mr. Den- 
nett's coUeclion. 

Candor requires 
a n d i u c 1 i n a t i o n 



Ipuincipal Ipointe in tbc TTlppcr ®cUs. 



m 



A.soKL KocK is situated about one-lialf mile from tlie steamer 
landing;, on the riirht hand side of the river as you i;o up thc' stream, 

and is a rugged pro- 
jection, c n r i ousl y 
.-haprd. It is also 
calle.l .Marlile Rock, 
fiom the peculiar, Ut- 
ile, i-ound lumps of 
san<lstone f.mnd cui 
the h'llue Mud in llie 
river below. 




Swallows' Kock, 
or w here the swallows 
live, is a liltle further 
aloULT on the eanie 
side. In early s]irinf; 
and summer, thou- 
samls of beautiful lit- 
tle swallows may be 
seen liere filling the 
air and in the brown 
clill's, occupying in- 
numerable holes in 
the rock, safe from 

|ir(mipts the statement, that in the |ireparation of this Iio<d;, liberal danger, and the hajipiest family to lie found anywhere, 
use has been made of the contents of a "Guiile for Tourists," published The J.\ws of the Deli.s, or entrance to the Dells proiier, are 

some years ago by Mr. F. O. Wisner, and for which we cheerfully guarded by two immense rocks, standing like sentinels on duty and 
a(d<nowledge obligation. sternly looking down in their stately grandeur, as if disputing the 



LOWER J.WVS OF THE DELLS. 



viflht of man til ('X|ili>i'(' the intricate passiiire beynml. Tlic rucU nn 
tlie ritilil is callril 

IIic;h HiHK, anil rises Feventy-fivf feet almvc the river. It pre- 
sents a nif;<.'eil, riiuf;li aspect, witli curiously sliaped sides, ami has a 
ineajire growth of stunted i)ines, liirdi and other trees and fulia-ie. 
(In the left is 

KiiMAXCE C'mfk, which is a irrand old pile of stately mcUs covereil 
with a Growth of trees and shrubbery. It is somewhat higher and 
more stately than its riK-a-ris, High Kock, and has inor<> of the 

cui'ious and woiKh-rful in its 
make-up and geiuTal appear- 
ance. It is sufrgestive of the 
stately crafis and beetlingclilfs 
of the weird and jrranil scen- 
ery of the Kocky .Mountains. 
Letiends and Indian romances 
are tohl of this wonderful <'li(f. 




('uiMNi;v Kock. — Tins is 
line of .Nature's sin>;ular freaks, 
lid't standinir for innumerable 
aires, formed by the action of 
I he wild waters, lookinfr like 
the ohl-fasbioneil stick -and- 
uiortar chimney of the da)^ of 
llie forefathers. It stands just 
beyond lliiih Hock. 

Im no Cove. — A most pleas- 
im; ecliii can be had here, and 
it is a lieautiful jilace for bath- 
ing and enjoying a quiet hour 
CHIMNEY KOCK .iN'i) Huiii liocK. iu a coul , plcasaut retreat. 

The Old Dki.i. Mouse at Allen's Landing, on the left, is one of the 
oldest houses in this part of the country. It is a block house, made of 



square timber originally, but in later years covered with siding, built 
by Itobert V. Allen in lSI:i7-.S, who kept it as a tavern for many years, he 
also establisbeil a ferry across the river at this point, it being one of the 
principal lines of travel for the pioneers from the (ireat Lakes to the 
Mississi]i]ii and the Pineries of Wisconsin. Then came the develop- 
ment of the pine lumber industries of the upper Wisconsin and its 
triliutaries and the manufacture of vast quantities oflumlier, which 
iiiuld only be gfit to market by rafting and floating it down the river 
1(1 jMiints on the AIi.ssissipi>i, where it could be used or from whence 
it could lie conveyed inland for consumption. So, in time, this river 
became one of the greatest highways for the conveying of lumber of 
any of the tributaries of the Mississippi. Those were booming days 
fur the old place, a point where the raftsmen could obtain snp]ilies of 
food ami liquid refreshment, for which they had various names. In 
extreme high \vater all the rafts that came from above liad to be tied 
U]i at the head iif tlie Dells, three miles farthei' u]i the stream, to 
await the fallng of the water to such a stage as would make the run- 
ning of the Narrows less dangerous; at such times great numbers of 
rafts, covering many acres, would accumulate around the mouth of 
Witches' Gulch and among the islands beyond, if the river remained 
very high, as it did many days almost every spring flood. .\s soon as 
the flood subsided enough to make the passage of tlie Narrows possi- 
ble by having several men on an oar, there was a busy time, each 
pilot striving to get his fleet throtigh to the quiet water in thi' eddy at 
the Dell House first. Thi.s having to put several men onto an oar 
through the Narrows necessitated a number of trijis for each crew to 
bring their respective fleets through this part of the Dells, and " giging 
back" (walking) from the Dell House to the head of the Dells. By 
far the larger part of the raftsmen in those days were not prominent 
as " .Sons of Temperance " or kindred organizations, at least not con- 
sistent members, and would, on landing safely at the Dell House, par- 
take freely of the concentrated river water kept there for emergencies; 
if the trip had not been successful and the raft had been broken 



up, then suiiietlnn>r must lie taken to tlie siu'ci'ss iif llic next trip; if 
one of the crew had ))een lopt in tlie mad waters, partalciug of some- 
tliint; in tcil;i-n uf j;niid wislii'S for liis hereafter was n(jt to be neg- 

U'cted l)y any means, and some- 
tiiiics like tolicii was deemed 
necessary I'or the welfare of 
each of his survivini; relatives, 
aiid sn llie nld plac<' liecame 
llie scciii' ipf many a lu.iisterous 
time, u hicli may he all tlie 
foundation tliere is for the 
^tories of the horrible crimes 
niiiiMiilted in and almui the 
place in the earl> ilays. Tci- 
day no " Yellow liiver lioul" 
annnuncesthe arrival of a lieet 
fi'iim I hat tributary, and we 
lu'cd licit exjieet to meet luui- 
hci- from (irand Hapids, or any 
(if the big mills above; the rail- 
roails have irot into the Pine- 
ries, and all the lumbergoes to 
market in that way; the rafts- 
men are gone, but the old house 
stands there, windowless and 
deserted, open to everyone 
who may choose to visit its 
tenantless rooms. 
Chapel Gorgk. — This is the next interesting place, is above the 
Dell House and on the right. It is named from the peculiarly shaped 
rock at its entrance, resembling a pulpit in a ]ilacc (d' worship. The 
Gorge is pleasant and shady. 

Bo.AT C.WE is just beyond the Gorge and may he explored with 
small boats. It should always be visited to be appreciated, although 




B0.4T ( AVK. 



a general idea may be had from the steamer's deck. It is one of the 
most |M-culiar formations, showing the action nf the water upon the 
soft sandstone, and is one of the places where the guides can get fire 
out of the water. 

( 'luci.n lii;Mi, where the river and rocks form a halfcirclc. The 
rocks are high and boh.l, presenting a clilf of solid masonry, formed 
and carved and hewn and worn into a wall of adamant liy the action 
id' the whirling waters. Its toji is covered with a dense growth of 
cedar, hemlock, pine, birch, oak 
and all the many varieties of ferns 
and shrubbery that so abundantly 
abiiund througlioiit the Dells. 

Stiuoko.v Kock, on left, is a 
bcild. ]irojecting point. Here we 
ciitio' upon the looked-for wild 
grandeur (pf the Dells. On the 
right is the 

Xavv Y.\iti>. — To our mind this 
is the most jiicturesque and won- 
derful formation on the river. Here 
we have one of the most strikini; 
and natural "Navies" to be found 
in the world. Neither perishaldc 
wooden or iron ships, formed and 
modeled by man, but those built by 
the hands of Ilim who hath formed 
all the wonders of nature. Huge 
stone vessels of war, these, with 
prows and sides and ribs so solid 
and staunch that for ages they have 
withstood the battles and warring of 
the waters, and as time has rolled on they have become more complete 
and shapely in form and build. Bold guardiansare they of the Narrows. 




nl.VNT'S H.\ND. 



The Giant's H.wd is in ;i iu'i'ottii I.u'twcen two uf the liullcs 
near the lower end uf tlu- Nnvy Y:iicl. A I lout two feet of the sleeve 
and ten feet of a left hand of stone is seen aljove tlie water and 
laid palm against the hnlk in the right, as you view it from a row 
biiat, so |ierfeet in form tliat ynu wcmder if to drain the water 
away fifty or more feet deep here would not diselnse the Giant to 
whom it belongs; leastways it is (jnite perfect enough to prove the 
trutli of an Indian legend, the substance of which is, that the vessels 
of the Navy Yard are some of C'ortez' ships that came exploring in 
this northern country and the explorers treated the Indians so 
badly as to anger their God, whu in bis wrath laiil his hand on the 
ships and turned them to stone. 

Eatox (inoTTo is a long, deej) ojieniug extending i'ar into tlie 
rugge<I wall nf rcicl;, on the opposite side from the Navy Yard. 

^KVLioin- Cave is a very similar opening to that of Katon Grotto, 
and is just at the head of the Navy Yard. Here, with a small boat, you 
can seek the deep recess_of,the rock, lighted by alitlh' riftin tiie nicks 
overhead. It is a delightful place to visit. 

Gi.EX EvRiE is on the right, and extends back frniu tlie river 
nearly a uiile. It is a. delightful jilace for a randjle, and is tillecl with 
beautiful ferns and flowers. Across it, near the river, there is a foot 
bridge for the convenience of tliose who love to ramWe along the 
river bank, one (if the many improvements made by the "Dells Resort 
Company." 

The Narrows ok Black Hawk's Leap.— Here the river suddenly 
narrows to the width of on\y Jiftiz-tifo feet, and the water is dghtii feet 
in depth. The river is now running upiui its edge, hemmed in on 
either side by pnnderous rocks. In low water the current is nearlvas 
calm and placid as at any point on the Dells, but when the river is up, 
the raging waters come pouring through this narrow gorge with ter- 
litic force. 



The Olu Bridge. — .\bout tlie year 1S4S, My. Schuyler S. (iates 
erected a substantial bridge across the Narrows. This was the first bridge 
ever built across the Wisconsin, and was used fur a number of years 
iir until tlie railroad 
bridge was built at 
Kilbourn. Th o u - 
sands of teams and 
passengers paid toil 
here. It was carried 
away by the high 
water of 1S5!3. 

The Devil's Ki,- 
now is t h e |i o i n I 
where t h e r i v e r 
makes an almost 
square turn just at 
the entrance of tin- 
Narrows. 

Bi.AiK Hawk's 
Cave can now \)v 
seen on the left 
hand. It was here, 
the legend hath it, 
where the old chief 
bill safe and secure 
in the days of the 

Black Hawk war ; and there is another story, that he leaped his 
pony from bank to bank to elude his pursuers. Of course we would 
not dispute the romunce by questioning the authenticity of this won- 
derful feat. 

Notch Rock. — This was the raftman's dread of the Narrows, it is 
a sqiiai-e, boulder-looking roi'k on the left, and is known as Raftman's 




THE Ol.n BRIDGE. 



Terror, mi whit-li, in Ligb water, rafts were often broken and lives lost. 
Yon can see it close down to the water's edge. 

H.VTTi.KsxAKK liocK IS tbe liigli erag or solitary looking roek on the 
I'.'ft, just bark of Xotoli Koek. It is covered witb sbrubbery. 

Si.iiHxo Rocks are liere npon either side of tlie stream, and are so 
called from their pecnliar forniatidn — tlie sides being oval shaped and 
sliding inward, throwing the water to tbe center of the stream. 

-Vktist's Gi.e.v. — This is one of the most beautiful ravines on the 
river. It is on tlie right, nearly opposite Kattlesnake Rock. This 
glen is deliiibtfnl fur picnic grounds, and has a large number of fine 
butternut and other trei'S, affording an elegant retn^at. .lust beyond, 
among the trees, high up fnun the river, is 

Tiiic Larks — neither birds, n(pr a lot uf young men out for a time, 
but a cozy building erected by the "Ilells Resort Company" for a 
restnarant and dancing hall, with wide verandas, from which line 
views, both down into the Narrows and up the river, are afibrdcd, 
while across the river you can see for some distance down the 

Olo CiiANNEi. OP THE RiVKR, uow clioUed by u Ingh sand bank, 
which is on the left in going up the river; but, high as it is in low 
water, some seasons tlie sjiring floods raise the river high enough so 
that a jiart of tbe stream runs over it and around a large tract of land, 
coming out and uniting again with the main river, near the old liell 
House, forming an island. About half a mile back from tbe old Dell 
House there is another branch, without water now, except a small 
creek part of the way, leading south and then east, joining the present 
river again a short distance below the railroad bridge at Kilbourn. 
.Much of the way this old channel is as well delincd as the present 
river, and as interesting, several isohited rocks of strange shapes, that 
were islands, many caves and grottoes in the high cliffs, along either 
side, much of the distance. 

If you are strong take a tramp through the old channel some time 
in the autumn, when the day is not too warm, and you will enjoy it; 
but if you are feeble or indolent don't trv it, for there is no boule- 



vard or sidewalk there, not even a country road or path that you can 
use, but a go-as-you-please route in the woods, over old sand bars, 
through the busln'S and some of the way in the swamp, with an occa- 
sional climb to the top of a higli cliff that will be rewarded by magni- 
ficent views and more extended than can be had from the low land. 
.\ few rods up the stream from "The Larks'' and cm the same side 
of tbe river is the mouth of 

Coi.owATjjR Caxox.— Tills canon is one of the grand features of the 
Dells. Land from the steamer, when a substantial plank walk takes 
you safely over the slack water. You proceed through the rocky 
defile and under the frowning crags, to the restaurant kept by Capt. 
('. D. Van Wie, who can satisfy your hunger for food and //lo-.v/ for 
knowledge of the Dells, he having been for years a raftsman on the 
river, and at one time captain of one of the steamers plying on the 
Dells. Hut a little further along up the canon, you come to that 
wonderful 

Dkvii.'s Jic. — Tbe entrance is but a sliort distance from Captain 
\an Wie's, and in a moment you reach a deep, wild, narrow gorge, 
walled in with rocks, which are, in some places, almost vertical, and 
in others overhanging the jiathway. The gorge is so narrow that we 
do not see the jug until we step inside of it, and look around with 
wondering curiosity upon its splendid curves and magnificent pro- 
jjortions. It is, of course, a broken jug, the ravine extending through 
and beyond it for a considerable distance, and on one side the lines, 
are imperfect, owing, doulitless, to the unusual hardness of the rocks, 
but the other side is hollowed into a perfect resemblance of the inside 
of an immense jng, as smoothly fashioned as if turne<l upon a potter's 
wheel. The entire width of the Jug is about thirty-five feet at the 
bottom, and its height is not far from seventy feet. The rift at the 
top is quite narrow, admitting light enough to see with tolerable dis- 
tinctness, but leaving the upper iiart of the cavern in twilight gloom. 
The gorge beyond the Jug is passable for some distance. A ramble 
through this vast canon and a visit to the Jug will afl'ord a world of 



)>leasure. All the many varieties of ft-nis and mosses may lie gatli- 
ered liere. 

Ki'KKLE EocKS are iiijon tiie left side of the stream, and would 
look well on the shirt-fronts of the giants of olden days. They adorn 
with becoming grace the river's side. 

TnE Dicvii.'s Arm Cri.un. — You will wonder why the d — 1 he 
should perch his cliair in such a place, unless, he, too, is an admirer 
of the wonders of nature. It is on the left and luit a short distance 
from Coldwater Canon. 

C;i,.\M B.vXKs, on the right, is so called liecanse of the shape and 
stratification of tlie rocks, hearing chise resemhlance to gigantic clam- 
shell.*. 

Lei,.\xi)'s Point is a striking feature of the scenery on the right 
and a little further up the river than the Clam Banks. .\ few rods 
beyond is 

The Fixes, a name Mr. Koliinson has given his new and exceed- 
ingly pretty and attractive resort. It is situated liiglj abuve and com- 
mands a fine view of thej'iver from botli the liouse and grounds. 

C.vmeleox C.vve is a ,seam in the bank, and can only be vi.sited bv 
climbing a ladder, going to the high bank, and then down into the 
earth. You will need a guide and the liglit of a lantern to reach the 
bottom. It contains beautiful, changing mosses. It is on the right, 
just l)elow Steamboat Kock. 

Ste.vmiso.st Kock will challenge especial attention.' It stands, an 
i.-4lanil, in a curious, circular cove, and vastly resembles, from some 
points, a huge ocean steamer, minus smokestack and wheel-biui.se. It 
is probably about 2on feet long by IdO feet wide and some -Ml to ol) feet 
in height, witli perpendicidar, rugged sides and covered with pine, 
oak and shrubbery. 

Rood's (Ji.EX. — This is just beyond Steamboat Kock, on tUe right, 
it.s entrance marked by a little sand bar, and extending back from the 
river about six hundred feet. Similar to Coldwater Canon, or almost 
a cavern, it is a place all admire who visit it while on the down-stream 
trip in a row boat. 



Amu Cove OR Par.\i>ise is a delightful place for picnic parties. 
It is from liere you will get the best view of the many i.slauds at the 
head of the Dells, and a magnificent view of the river for a long dis- 
tance. The cove is a beautiful, shady recess, and contains an elegant 
spring of pure, fresh water. It is on the left hand side nf tlie river, 
nearly opposite the mouth of 

WiTcUE.s' Gli.cu, — At the head of the Dells, on tlie right, extend- 
ing three-quarters of a mile from tlie shore, will be found this re- 
markable (tuIcIi. The precipitous rocks tower aloft on either side to 
the height of perhaps a hundred feet, their sides being worn smooth 
and their ragged edges rounded oft' by the long-coiitinue(l action of 
the water. One can almost touch with outstretched arms both sides of 
this gloomy gorge, which surpasses in grandeur anything hitherto 
seen in the Dells, The rocks overhead are in many places shelving 
and rounded into immense scollops. The stream througli this wihl 
pass is in many iilaces waist-deep. It cimtains many curious points — 
a miniature waterfall. Phantom Cliainher, Diamond (irotto, and hun- 
dreds of other remarkable features, that to describe justly would 
take more room than our space afl'ords. No one visiting the Dells 
should fail to see this wild, weird and tortuous (iulch. It challenges 
the admiration of all who see it, with its strange, marvelnus, startling 
grandeur. 

The Isl.vxds. — Krom the entrance to the Dells, or "' upper jaws," 
we have an elegant view of the river, blutl's and islands for a long dis- 
tance. This view is often compared to a similar scene on I.aketieorge. 
Here the river " S|)reads itself" all over the country, as it were, and is 
full one-half mile in width and very shallow, the water in summer 
being not over one or two feet in depth. About three-fourths of a 
mile from Witches' Gulch we find, on the left bank, a number of inter- 
esting points, which can be reaidied with small boats, except in very 
low water, by ascending Blazier's Creek, emptying into the river at 
the foot of Blazier's Kock. A narrow but easily accessil)le pathway, 
amid ferns and shrubbery, leads up alon.' the side of the hill to that 
curious natural phenomenon. 



10 



IIi>i:m:ts' .\i:sr, wliicli has tlio sliapi' ami, at a sbort^li.staiicc, tlio 
jioneral apiicaraiicc ol'aii immense hornets' nest. It serves as a pillar 
in front iil'a natural purtico, the rock having in the course (if time been 

washed out.'leaving a flat mnf 
overhead, with the Hornets' 
Nest as its principal snp])ort. 
Passino; through the archway 
formed by this singular rnck, 
we ascetnl and follow the hill- 
side for a few rods, and ]>ies- 
eiitly stand in 

1. V N •■ Ji 1:0 N II.M.I.. — The 
waters liiivi' at smue renxiti' 
[leriod sw eptthrough here with 
great force, wearing a passage 
through and under the rocks, 
and leaving the Hat rocks 
wliicli formerly stood at the 
" top of the heap " asa natural 
roof for the hall, which is of 
consideral.ile extent, and a 
fiivorite place for picidc parties. 
The roof has a single break, a. 
few inches wide; otherwise it 
is perfect; and tlie rocks which 
support it furnish convenient seats and tables. 

Located lui the top (d' a ri<lge, tin- hall jiresents a grand ajipear- 
ance to tlie spectator at a distance, and commands a fine view of the 
river. Once within its massive portals, awe gives place to curiosity, 
and t!ie visitor finds pleasure in observing the odd shapies which the 
rocks have assumed under the slow but persistent action of the cur- 
rent which once swejit the Wisconsin Valley, leaving its impress on 




every hill, and cutting its wav through the rocks until it formed tlie 
romantic channel through which the river now runs. .\ sliort dis- 
tance from Luncheon Hall, we (ind the wonderful 

Sta.ni) Kock. — To reach this, we ascend the bank a short distance 
and follow along the edge of the ridge, conung to the rock upon the 
upper side. Teople with sullicient nerve, and not having an immedi- 
ate fear of the liereafter, can reach the top of the Stand by a leap of 
some eight feet. If you miss your footing yon will probably fetch up 
forty feet below. Tlu' to]) of the rock — a large sanilstone slab — is 
nearly as level as a floor, and its superficial area is about eighteen by 
twentv-four feet. A pathway leads to tlie foot of it. ami the view from 
lielow is more interesting than that from aljove. The water-rounded 
column which supports the superjxiised talilet is of rather irregular 
shape and is forty-six feet high. With the neighboring rock a sort of 
arch is formed, somewhat resemblingthe cavernous opening at Lunch- 
eon Hall. All around is a scene of beauty. The hills are covered with 
trees clothed with magnificent summer foliage; a fine farm, trees and 
shurbs spread out up-riverward, and the glen is full of ferns and flow- 
ers, in gorgeous [irofusion. .\ jiart cif a day ilevoted to this locality is 
time well spent. 

This ends this brief and imperfect description of the principal 
points in the I'pper Dells. But the tourist will find along the entire 
way, from the steamer's landing to Stand Rock, hundreds of other 
curious and interesting points that are not named or laid down on the 
map. In the vicinity of Stand IJoek is the Squaw's Bed Chamber, a 
curious cave in the hillside. Vizor Ledge, and many others, all of 
which should be visitecL 

To reach the interesting objects at the head of the Dells, such as 
Stand Kock, Luncheon Hall, etc., that are not easily reached by 
steamer, the tourist lan enjploy a carriage and enjoy a few miles' ride 
through the woods. It is a inojit pleasant feature for a day's en- 
joyment. 



^bc lower Sells. 



Ydih- stay at t!ie Dolls will not be coiiii)k'tt' unless you visit the 
T-o\ver ]>ells, which extend for three miles below the village. The 
river liere is broailer and the lumks jiresent a jjreater diversity of 
bhirt' and bottom; but the character of the rocks comiiosing the banks 
is the same, and a similar though varied succession of {'urious and 
pleasing forms is presented. The rocks, as in the ITpiJcr Dolls, have been 
vtforn and hollowed and rounded into every imaginable shape except 
that of " Rock Me to Sleep;" we are almost sure that some close o)i- 
server will yet discover " Hock the Cradle" somewhere in this vicin- 
ity. In some i)laces great shelves, with stalwart young i)ines growing 
upon their very edges, overhang the dark waters; elsewhere perpen- 
dicular walls hjoni u|i like the front of soiui' vast fortification, and a 
little further on a similar wall is supplanted with coigns, bastions, 
lirojecting towers and covjrriyl archways; again the rocks are rounded 
at their bases so as to resemble the sterns of small vessel.s — much in- 
ferior in size and aiijiearance to tlie i)onderous hulks al the Navy Yard 
ill the Dells above. Then the rocks slope gently ilownward to the 
green, grassy vale, where a pretty farm gives charming variety to the 
])anorama, and on the opposite side liroad bottom, where Newport 
once stood in her ])ride, now interesting in her remarkable decay 
Farther down the river are the more noted objects whicli claim the 
attention of tourists, and which we will attomjit in inn- way to de- 
scribe wlien we get to them. 

The lofty banks here, as ill the I'pper Dells, are crowned with a 
luxuriant growth of trees, shrub, plants and grass. The first attrac- 
tion after leaving the landing is 

Echo Point. — Standing upon the rocky cliff wliere the tunnel from 
Taylor's Glen comes out from under the railmad, any unusual eleva- 
tion of the voice brings a jiromiil anil distinct resjionse from the 



massive, smooth-taced cliff opposite, every word and tone being re- 
peated with surprising clearness and accuracy. .\ little farther down 
and ou the same side of the river, is 

Beak's C.vve. — It is a hole in the 
rock with a cleft extending out to the 
edge of the cliff, and thence downward 
to the water's edge, the cave forming 
a recess near the top, into which you 
may descend if you choose; but you 
will find it bare, the bear having moved 
away some time ago. From the rift 
grows a large pine, which does not seem 
to pine much for Bruin's com]>any. A 
little further down on the same side, is 

Chimney Kock. — A little less in size 
than the one up the river, but greatlj' 
resembling it in situation and appear- 
ance. Then comes the Pulpit, standing 
near the water's edge and shaped like 
the sacred desk in some sanctuaries. 
Below this on the river, but above it in 
height, is 

Obseuv.vtion Poi.vt, standing upon 
which you obtain a magnificent view, 

, ., * J , .1 . , HA\\i;'^ nil. I,. 

both up and down tlie river and across 

the country for miles toward the south. Un the opposite side is 

Stultz Rock, once a terror to the raftsmen, and so named tor one 
of them whose raft struck it and went to pieces, leaving him clinging 
to one of the crags of the rock all night in a terrible storm. Here, 
too, is 

The H.vwk's Bill, showing against the sky at the top of the cliff 
as you approach it from either U]i or down the stream, very like the 
wide-open beak of a bird of gigantic iirojiortioiis. Thissiiot. ton, wasa 




Skinal I'lCAK, U|i()n wliicli tlic reil iiicn used In lij;lit tlicir sii;iuil 
tires to warn their people up and down the river of the ;ipproa<-h of 
•enemies or tlie coniinK of a frieiidlv tribe. A little wav haek from 




SeiiAK BOWL. 

here is the summer home of Mr. S. H. KERFooTand family. Mr. Ker- 
foot is one of Chieago's most respected and well-known citizens, who 
here finds health and recreation in making the desert bloom as a gar- 
den. His premises have a river frontage of quite a mile down the 
stream from a short distance above Stultz Rock, embracing much of the 
finest of the scenery in the Lower Dells and which afford him and his 
friends great pleasure, not, however, to the exclusion from its beauties 
of anyone who would not mar or injure its attractions. Proceeding on 
on our way jiast the old Tciwn of Xewpnrt, on the right, we come to 



Si'oAit Txiwi., whicli stands nut in the stream, as cleverly moulded 
as one could wish. The shape of this singidar freak of nature is very 
true to its name. We pull around it, but desiniir of getting at the 
inside of it, because the lid is on tight, and held dnwn by a miniature 
forest of pines. 

Cave ok the Dakk Waters is in Grotto Hock, just to the right of 
Sugar Bowl, a cavern which you can go into and through with a row 
boat and see other openings or ]>assageways that are too small and 
irooked to get a boat through. The cave was sometimes calle<l by the 
Indians "Place of the Nah-bu-nah," (sturgeon). .V few rods down a 
channel of the river, that is dry during the low water in summer, is 
aimther and smaller cave, which is easily reached by a short walk and 
well repays the trouble. We have seen nnthing iii this \icinity more 
curious and wonderful than this rock, the outer walls and internal 
caverns of which show the shai)ing effects of different currents and 
eddies of water. Air. Bennett has secured fine stereohCO]>ic views of 
the rock and its recesses. 

The Inkstaxd next claims our attention. At first view it seems a 
counterpart of the Sugar Bowl, but we soon perceive a difference. The 
rock, entire at the top, parts a little way down, and the passage tap- 
ering gradually is, at the water, wide enough to admit a small canoe. 
It is, you ])erceive,a counting-house inkstand, with two compartments, 
the larger for black and the smaller for red ink. It bristles on top with 
small pines, which, with the aid of an india rubber imagination, may 
be taken for cjuill pens, wherewith in the golden age, when the gods 
practiced the ways of men. Mercury wrote heavy leaders, and Minerva 
love stories, poetry and paragrajihs for the Oliiinjiiiin Tlnimh-rer. Per- 
haps some classical c-codger may laugh at us for assigning such literary 
trifling to the Goddess ofAVisdom. Laugh, then, and gather fatness 
on the ribs! Did not Solomon indite to bis Ethiopian (Jueen a love- 
song so sweet and suggestive that the church accepts it as inspire<l 
from on high? Did he not deal in witty sayings and pungent jiara- 



^K^^ 


^?pl 


■HRH! 


("BP*^ 


fK^-'f '■'''• 


• -■■■:>. 


TjBj^^Siy^ ' 


. -w-i. 


w ' 









graphs which the itcmizer of to-day, with tlie aid of the medical 
almanacs, vainly attempts tu imitate? Did not St. Peter strike the 
liar— dead? I hive not wise men in all ages turned to light literary 
work as a relaxation? Very well, then. Cease digrcspionl We 
cannot carry away this inkstand, it is too tirnily fixed and heavy to he 
removed; so we a.i;aiii tnrn onr prow down stream to 

Lone Rock, which stands in mas.sive majesty mid-river, smiling 
with its summer chaplet of verdure upon the tawny Hood that washes 

its feet. It is a broad oval in 
shape. We cannot give its 
exact dimensions. As we ap- 
proach we tind that its sides 
are perforated with caverns, 
into the largest of which ynu 
can go to the center and 
through the rock. 

There is much else of in- 
terest in a trip to the l.nwer 
Dells, in f;ict, every rod of 
the river and its shores are so, 
though in no ]>lace so narrow 
as the Narrows, and without 
any Witches' Gulch or Cold- 
water CaiKUi nf the Upper 
Dells, unless you are willing 
to take a walk of a mile from 
tlie river at one place to 

CoxuREss ll.\i,i.,a very re- 
markable and curious rock 
glen similar to the Canon and 
Gulch. The best way to reach 
it, however, is by carriage and return through the jiretty Village of 
I'elton, which is near by. Here, too, is 




J.OOKINO OLT OF CAVE IN J.U.NK ROCK. 



>rn!Uoi{ Lake, celebrated for its scenic beauty in rock formations 
and liewildering reflections. The stories of truthful parties of the ex- 
cellent bass and pickerel fishing there, are often fully proven by the 
fine strings offish they show. 

T.vyi.ok's (Ji.EN-. — Just a pleasant walk at the southern limits nf 
Kilbonrn, is a choice bit of tlie beautiful which no tourist should fail 
to visit. You can do the (den in a before-breakfast walk, and so while 
you enjoy a half-hour of the rarest scenery hereabouts, you can at the 
same time cultivate an appetite for steak and coflee, which will make 
breakfast a deliglit. While down there don't fail to go through the 
tunnel to the riverside, and challenge the saucy echo which shouts 
at evervbodv who savs a word there. 







'XT' sf^.-^'r' ' 











I.ONK ItOCK. 



Curiosities hv Ahams and JrNEAU Counties. — Northwest from the 
Dells for thirty or thirty-live miles, aud aloiij; the line of the Chicago, 
Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, plainly seen from the car windows, 

are many strange rock 
formations to interest 
the traveler, varying in 
lu'ight from fifty to one 
hundred and fifty feet, 
rising perpendicular 
from the level countr\- 
like castles or fort- 
resses, made up of 
towers, columns and 
pillars so like the work 
of man as to almost 
lirinfi the belief that 
I he y we re built by 
some ancient race of 
|ieople. You can take 
a morning tniin at Kil- 
bourn and go to Camp 
Douglass, near where 
are situated some of 
the most interesting of 
lu.i.Ai; KiicK. these formations, 

among which are the " Giant's Castle," " Phantom Cathedral," "P>ee 
Bluft'," "(iiant'sTomb," "Pillar Rock" and "Target RlurfV'and return 
in the evening, if you desire. If your visit shoiild lie in June or.Tuly 
you would likely find some one of Wisconsin's four Infantry Regi- 
ments of National (xuard in camp, learning all the arts of war jiossible 
without the actual thing, in which they are sometimes joined by a 
troop of " regulars." The rifle range at this camp is said to be one of 
the best in this country, and our Badger soldiers have become very 




liroficient in target ]iractice; dress i>arade each eveiiingaltractscrowds- 
from all directions and quite long distances, both by railroad and 
teams. North from the Dells, through a good part of Adams County, 
there are a great many quite as remarkable rocks as those northwest, 
but not as easy of access. Without doubt all the region above men- 
tioned has been a lake that has been drained away by the Wisconsin 
River in cutting its way through the bluffs once constituting its south- 
ern shore and thence to the Jfississippi, and what an interesting lake 
it must liave been, dotted at fre(|uent intervals with these castles and 
towers standing high and imiiosingly above its surface. 

The student of geology will certainly find the whole region worthy 
of investigation, and particularly in the fossil markings found in the 
rock near New Lislion. 




UIANT'S CASTI.E. 



16 



Devil's Xahe. 



ILahe flDason. 



Ii.mmI. CiMiiUcil t.iike is t^Diiu:' luilfs fiirthei- aloiij;-, iiii.l lintli (■..nUiiii 
cxi-i'llriit lish. Dm-Ucl's Lakr i< Sdiiic sfViTitccii luilcs ricnn Kil- 
li.mii), and :ilinuiiilM in fisli. TliL'se lalies art- :ill in Adams ( 'nuiity. 



This rc'inarkable slu'C't of water has been so often (lescnhed tliat Alnint seven miles from Killiourn is Briggsvill.'. in Mar.|nelte 

It will lie almost nnneeessary to reTer t.i it in tliese pages. It is siln- Connly— a ([niet, |n-elty village having a store or two and an excellent 

ated about seventeen hotel. Here, also, is the celebrated Lake Mason, wliere the diseiples 
miles from Kilbonrn of Izaak Walton can spend a most delightful day in (islnng or tndl- 
aml three from Hara- ing f..r pickerel and black bass. The pond is tu.i miles in length by 
boo, Sauk C.iunty. It one mile in width. Tlu' water is pure and cool. 

is peculiar to itscdf. and .lordan bake is some fourteen miles from Kilbuuin.in anmlh- 

is unri\aUeil in piclur- easterly direction, and is re])resented as being excellent tishing 
esipie grandeur, and grounds. ( loose hake is a line sheet of water in the sanu> neighbor- 
next 111 the llells is 
the ninsl idiarming re- 
sort in W i s con si n . 
There is an elegant 
hotel over Ihere at the 
north eml of the lake, 
the Clilf House, whei-e 
louiisls will find every 
(■(uufort, while at the 
south end of the lake 
is situate. 1 Kirkland, 
with its wine cellar, 
ami row of pretty little 
CO t t a ge s near the 
beach, for the use of 
those who nia>- wish 

to spend their vacation at this most delightful resort, antl which 

is under the direction of the owner, Mr. X. ('. Kirk, a genial, lourte- 

ous gentleman. .V line little steamer, row boats, picnic grounds and 

many facilities for enjoyment can be had there. A carriage ride from 

Kilbonrn to the lake is very eujoyahle. 




r>L:vii. s iioup. w.\y. 



^bvougb the Bells. 



BY PERMISSION OF F. O. WiSNER 



BY JOHN CLERKE 



1. III. 

HiiiniiRT suiiliglit, Wiirinand ti'iuU-r, ,u:lo\ve<l with splcminr nil the wave 

As t lie en.iwiU'd steaiDci- plowi'd it, with :i fare (if lair and lirave; Stand iiiii here hv Allen's Landing is t lie Hell ll.nise erav and old; 

Freisiiited with a wealth (if lieanty, weit:hted with a world (if hive, Trees above it— sure thev love it— sraeiouslv thi'ir -reen arms fold. 

Bosdnis hiihter, faees liri,i;liter, ne'er were smiled on from above. (Jrav and lonelv ! (,)nee'tlic only inn throu'i;hiiut tiiis reirion found, 

J(jy(iusly onr hearts were l/eatin.i;-, as the fleeting waters tied How its rafters'rnm.' with lansrhters when the raftsmen were around! 

Swiftly jiast her, as yet taster teward the Jaws the I), II ijnvni sjied. Onward steering', we are nearinu- Chapel (i(irf:c, where lookin>; down, 

I'rom her splashin.'x 1 laddlesi-dlledt he tlashin.L' waves in seel hi iiL' swells. As iiivitiii'; In unite in worshiji. stands I he Cliaiiel lirciwn. 

As she bore ns where before us lay the wild Wisconsin Dells. Pause and wonder now, where un(U'r rockv arehes dim and low, 

And a beantiiul maiden from Baraboo, Slowlv Hnaling a small boat in, thniugli the Boat Cave we inav go. 
With eyes like voilels lialhed in dew, " And the Kilbiiurn youth, whose heart was Irne, 

Close to her Killionrn lover drew. To the beautiful maiden from Baraboo, 

And gazed in silent Wdiider. Said to her— "Darliny, let's I and you—" 

. , Said she — "O dear, you're S(j sudden 1 " 

Weird and straniie all ! Here the .Vntjel (jiiee displaved hei' carveii 

form; — ' IV. 

She has vanished— rudely banishe(l by the an;;ry llnod and storm. 

All ariiund there, where abound their'homes wi'thin the brown dill's Swiftly swervinj; nuind the curving cliannei here in Cirele Bend, 

breast. Navy Yard's stout lleet is prompt to meet us, whether foe or fri(!>nd. 

.ssya |(iw s twitter as they Hit, or (arelinu- seek the roek-hewn nest. Eaton's (irotto pleases all Oir ousht to) who ujiou it hmk 

lligli Koek, toweriufr, lilts his lowerinjr front o'ergmwii with lirs and But tlieir time they idly S(|iiander who lona pnnder Sturiieon Knek. 

„ l^''"', ,„.„. r Here tlie twilight ilddili of Skvliyht Cave is liirhled thniiuih a rift— 

Upposite, Ivimanee Clill. frowning grim, looks down in as]iect stern. We mav view it well as tbrouirh it in a little bnat we drift' 

liimnev Roek, a s ia].e lantastic, fdrmed by plastic Nature's liaiids, We shall miss it if we visit mit the famous (iates' Ravine, 

On a jutting nx'k aliiitling, ,niaint and s.ilitary stands. Where a hundred curious objects to be wondered at are seen. 

And the beautiful maiden frdiu Baraboo " ' ■ ... 



.\iid the Kilbdurn lover, Sd fdiid and true, 
His lips Id the ear of the maiden d 
. , . . , .;„. ,, ^ .,,, And whispered— "Dear, it's as pre 

And exclaimed, W ell, now, I newr ! And one dav we will go tliere. 



\\ itb cheeks hkea delicate peach m hue. His lips Pi the ear of the maiden drew, 

W as charmed at .iiice by the singular view. And whispered— "Dear, it's as prettv as— (/rj», 



HaPtfU l)_v it I Go not nifjcli it ! 'Tis tlu> Devil's l'",ll>o\\ luiiiied; 
Those strong sinmvs oni-c lirouirhl in use, e'en thr lioldcsl woiiM !><• 

t;niie<l. 
Here old Blaek llawU on his pons' leaped (Voin stony liank to Ijank, 
Ami ehided liis jiiirsners, in seelmled cavern dank. 
This stranjie tower, with tree ami Hower npsprinuinfi from its lopniosl 

stone. 
Rattlesnake Koid< — now no rattle warns that battle ninst he done. 
Notch Rock here, the raftsmen's terror — slii;htest eiror canses wri'ck, 
Wlu'ii from Slidiiii;- Hock swift jilidin;; scarce their mad career they 
check. 

Ami the heantilhl maiden from liaral , 

Was somewhal .-startled, and pn/.zled. too, 
.\s the bill (Jiiii'ii steadily pnslietl oti throULdi 
The raiiid and intricate Narrows. 

VI. 

Artists' (ilen is fnll of '.iramleiir, conld wi' land here to explore, 
I'.nt we're In'on^cht to the t'oldwater Canyon, fni'ther n]i the shore. 
.AInch admire we, never tire we, of the scenery new ami stranae, 
Deeji i;lens, charming yet alarniinjr, heyond fancy's wildest rani;e. 
Half the rui;j;ed ])ath we tread in rocks o'erliead in threat'nini; jruise. 
Frowning coldly, hend dow n boldly, till we half avert onr eyes; 
But we reach the monstrons Devil's .Ing. ( What revels wild were held 
AVIien this vessel was the wassail pitcher of the Ih-nds of eld'.' ) 
15nt the heantifnl maiden from Karahoo. 
With a conlident look in l-.er eyes so bine, 
t'lnng to her lover the whole way tbrongb, 
.Nor sliowcd a siL:n of terror. 

\1[. 
Jug stnpendons I what tremendous power hath formed and placed thee 

here '.' 
Was't some Titan who of old time took delight in wine or beer'.' 
Or with whisky were they frisky who were wont their eares to float 
On the precious liipior poured from thy eajjacioui;, gurgling throat'.' 
Did they guzzle from the nozzle'.' or did each one have a mug, 
As thev quaffed full man\- a dranuht, and hui'/lied and frolicked round 

the Jug'.' 
Did they drink it then with "swei't'nin' in," and think it "jHiwerful 

nice " 
In the winter with h(.)t water, and in hotter days with ice'.' 
But what eared the maiden from Baraboo 
What those old tipplers used to do, 
!^o long as she had lier lover true 

From Killiourn close beside her'? 



VIII. 

Mighty iiitclier! were we richer — but we .stifle the fond thought; 

'f he crusaders wouhl invade us, kept we such a .Fng-o'-uaiight; 

So we sever. Up the river oth.er marvels on us wait: 

Devil's .\rm Chair, late in wbicli old Satan satin soletun state; 

Clam Bank, which ?io clams are found in, not abounding in the West; 

RnlHe Rock, whose ruflles would at' kissing scnitles stand the test; 

Steamboat Rock, a packet stati'ly, tliongh not lately in the trade; 

Rood's Glen, oval-shajied, and novel in the ipiaintnesses displayed. 

.\nd the Kilbourn lover, so honest and true. 

Whispered the maiden from Baraboo, 

"If you love me as I love you. 

We'll be iiiai'ri<'il in Rooil's (den some day." 

I.\. 

Honey Bee Spring, winch on sunny days tlie honey-makers seek; 

l'',agle Point, a filature striking, shapen like an eagle's beak; 

.\rch Cove, fairy bower airy, famed for I'etriaipia well; 

Witches' tiulch, wild and enclianting — weird folk haunting herein 

dwell; 
Hornet's Nest, from ( lilf siisju'iidcd, semblance s]ilcndid. grand and 

tall ; 
Luncheon Hall, an open cavern — bask(>t tavern, free to all; 
Stand Rock, or the De'il's Ti-a Table — if you're able, on it spring ! 
^lany more surprising features rd' Dame Nature's might we sing. 
But the beautiful maiden from Baraboo 
Ami her Kilbourn lover, so fond and true, 
Have sat them down to bill and coo. 
Like a pair of turtle doves I 

X. 

How were all those wondrous objiu-ts formed among the pond'nuis 

rocks'.' 
Some jirimeval grand upheaval shook the land with fre(|uent shocks ; 
Cavernsyawned and fissures widened ; tempests strident filled the air; 
Madly urging foaming surges througli the gorges opened there; 
With free motion toward the ocean, rolling in iin]>etuous course, 
Rushing, tumbling — crushing, crumbling rocks with their resistless 

force ; 
.Vnd the roaring waters, pouring on in ever broad'ning swells, 
Kddving, twirling, seething, whirling, formed tlie wild Wisconsin 
' Dells! 

O beautiful maiilen frimi Baralioii, 

And Kilbourn lover, so tender and true. 

We must bid you now a tearful adieu; 

But we hope to be tliere with the parson. 



Zhc XcGcnb of tbc IRomancc Clitf. 



BV PERMISSION OF F. O WISNER. 



It is iiiattrr 111" liistnry that si.mctliini: Irss tl.aii a liumlrfd yi'ai's 
ago the lati' .Inlm .lacnli Astur, in the pruscrutidn nf liis uiL'aJitii' 
scheme to control tlic I'lir trade of the woi-M, eslahlislu'cl a liiu' ol' 
tradini; postn aloni; the western shore of Lake Michif;an, with sub- 
stations at convenient distances from the main line, (Ui the |irinci|ial 
rivers of tlie re};ion then Unown as "Unisconsin." 

Anions; these outiiosis, was an im|iortant one at Fort \Vin?iel)af;o, 
near tlie site of tin' now thrivinji; City of I'lirtauc At the time of 
which we write, Astor had in his employ at this point about twenty 
men — trappers, traders, interpreters, packnu^n, etc. It was customary 
at certain seasons of the yeai- to send out a )iarty of six or ei,i;ht men 
from the fiu't, to visit the various Indian catii]is within reaeli. fur the 
jmrpose t)f encourajiiiij.' the chiefs to exert themselves to rollect as 
nuiny fvirs as possible duidiu? the season, and to i)roniise them tjood 
prices for the same, upon delivery at the fort. Some one of the more 
intelligent of the eniiiloyes was ordinarily jdaced in charge of .such 
detachment, with the temjiorary rank and title of captain. 

In the summer of 17 — , a party of this sort set out from the fort, 
under command of a new recruit, named .h'an Kaptiste DeHiviere, 
who passed for a ("anadian half-breed. This man, familiarly known 
among his couii'ades as "Handsome .John," was a very inteiiigent 
young man, was well I'llucated in Frencdi and ICnglish, and jxissesseil 
all the shrewdness of an Indian, cond.)ined with not a little French 
sauvity of uuuiners. He was a pleasant, c(jm|ianional)le fellow, full of 
chat concerning all else save himself, but on tliis subject he was 
reticent. 

The destination of the ])arty under De Riviere was the portion of 
Wisconsin now included within the bounds of the Towns of Newport 
and Delton, and its special mission to visit AVau-hat-tau, an influential 
chief of the Winnebago Indians. During a portion of each year, and 



20 



especially during the tishing season, \\';ni-liat-tan with a part of his 
tribe ocr-iipied the low ground on the right bank of the Wisconsin 
River, opposite the site of the present Village of Kilbourn <'ity. The 
spot is known among jieople in this region now as " Hurlburt Flats," 
and is still annually oecuiiied for a season by the degenerate iiosterily 
of the ohl chief 

After a leisurely lrain]i along the beautiful shores of tlu' Wisconsin, 
De Riviere's party rear bed the camp of Wan-hat -tan early in I hi' after- 
noon of the seef)nd day. Most of the party were old trappers and had 
made frci|uent vi.sits to the Winnebago camp, but the Captain, being a 
new hand, had never met with this tribe before. After the customary 
salutations, tlie old cluef. attired m his best, beckoned the ( 'aptain to 
a seat on the mat covered ground, inside his wigwam. Ilei-e, through 
the medium of an interpreter, they held a long conversation, chiefly 
conceriHug the power and wealth of the " (ireat pale face, Astor," and 
of the wonderful things he had done and promised to do for his I irol her, 
" the great Wau-hat-tan." De Riviere did his best to impress the old 
chief wit li the importance of gathering much fur for his employer, and 
by his skillful aildress so won the confidence of his host that he was 
assigned the liest rpiarters the camp aflbrded, with a srpiaw specially 
selected to wait upon him. The talk being over, De Riviere was con- 
ducted to liis (|uarters, ami the comely, gaudily dressed l,o-w cl-li-ta 
(familiarly called "Lo"*) followed to prepare his supper. Stretched 
at his ease on a couch of ferns covered with bear-skin, the ('aptain 
rested from his tramp, while his attendant busied herself at tlie cam]i 
fire over a mysterious stew, the savory odor of which already began to 
sharpen the appetite of the luingry man. His increasing desire to 
test the flavor of the viands, called his attention to the jirocess of prep- 
ai'atiou, and, w'ith the eye of a Frenchman, he began to note the pecu- 

* It i.s 11 remarkable coincidence that Pope has ttdopted this name for his Indian 
in the "Essay on Man." 



lliii'ly frniccfnl fl<;ure which stciopcMl over the fire. l)iri'ctly, an slie 
turiii'd toward the wii^rwiim, hi> caiitrht a sliinjiso of tlio features of the 
maiden, and was sii impressed with tlie marUe<l retiiiemi'iit and lieauty 
of tiie face, tliat Iiis interest in tlie euisine ^ave place to a new interest 
in tlie cook. A few nifire stirrinjis and seasoninjjs of the broth, and 
snpper was r<'ady. A\'illi tlie j;raeeful air uf a huly, the f;irl— fnr sneli 
she evidently was, and that not lieyond lier Iwi'nt.v -second year — 
beek(jned l^nr ea|)tinn tn the rare earn]) table, lieinii mithinir less than 
her own hands. As she passed him a rude clish of steannng pottage, 
.lohn ailnnred the finely monlde(l arm an<l the delicate taper fini;ers. 
His natural politeness suggested an l'hii;lish "thank yon." and he 
thought, as ho caught her eye, thai it was not an Imlian eye. and he 
was Bure th>it beneath all her paint tlie maiden lilnshed. Our captain 
himself possessed an attractive, manly face and figure, and had a 
right to his camp sobriquet, though the name seemed little to his taste, 
and its general adoption among Ids companions evidently anno^'eii 
him. As he sat there vls-a-r!s with the waiting damsel, t he suspicion 
became so strong that she was something more than her surroundings 
indicated that he grew embarrassed in her presence, and despite his 
a])petite, he made but an uncomfortable supper. He wanted to speak 
to her, but he knew nothing of the Indian language, nor could he be 
at all certain that she knew Frencli or English. After supper, how- 
ever, and wliile the simple talile furniture was cleared away, he had a 
little time to think, and he determined to ascertain, if possible, if there 
was any ground for his suspicion. It occurre<l to him that it might not 
lie prudent to address the girl in the presence or in the hearing of the 
Indians, and, as they were so near by, deferred his attempt at conver- 
sation until a more favorable opportunity. An hour later, the dwell- 
ers in the wigwam nearest the one he occupied being out, he ven- 
tured to speak. The girl was just returning from the creek, where 
she had been for water, and as she passed his door the (/aptain ad- 
dressed her in a low voice, in English: 

" Maiden!" he said, " are vou reallv what vou seem?" 



With a frightened glance toward the other wigwams, she ]ilaeeJ 
her linger on her li])S and gave him one ]ileading look, which was 
a siillicieiit answer to his (piestion, witli an added caution, by which 
he iirolilcd. Tlie maiden hurried on about her work, and .lohn 
ejacailaled undei- his bieath: " JMiglish, by .love, and blue eye<l! I'll 
take her hint of silence just now, but I'll know more about this." 

So saying, lie laid down, to bide his time. Night was coming on, 
and Ihi'ie was an early moon. There was an opening under the side 
of the wigwam, and through this he watciied for Lo-wel-li-la, watcbeil 
with the eagerness of a lover, and truth to lell. Ilie heart of the man 
had experienced within the last hour what was, to him, a new sensation. 

Let me tell the reader a little more about IFandsnme John. He 
was a native of France, bill his family moved to (.'aiiaila in his idiild- 
hood. There was a (|uiet home by the river side, not far from t^uebec 
— a home not of luxury, bill of relinement and culture — and an anxious 
household waited there for tidings of a wanderer. The only son of the 
family, kind and gentle, talented and amiable, was a restless adven- 
turer ; and, while the mother prayed that night, the lioy for whom 
she jirayed lay watching for the form of an Indian girl among these 
far-olf Western wilds. 

ICager for excitement, the young man had pushi'd his way into the 
employ of the great fur dealer in New York, asking to be sent to the 
frontier ; and, with a hasty letter of good-bye to home and friends, he 
set out on the first expedition, and here we find him, peeping out 
into the moonlight from an Indian wigwam, and eagerly listening for 
a footl'all which, nothing to liim tiiree hours ago, was yet so much to 
him now that his anxiety for its approach grew to wearisome imjia- 
tience long before his ear caught the rustle of leaves from the grove 
just behind his couch. He started at the .sound, but, remembering the 
warning of tlie maiden, he moved cautiously toward the o]K'iiing, to 
attract her attention, and, as she passed, quietly placed in her hand a 
leaf from his note-book, on which he had written : 

" I am your friend, i'an I serve you ? If so, command me. 

" Your servant, 

" .lolIN r>. I'K UlVlKKK." 



He tlioufrlit that the girl was deeply agitated, and that she trein- 
hloil as she passed; l)ut, renewing the sign of silenee. slie passed on, 
and he lay tossing and llunking till late in the night, bnt at last lie fell 
asleep, and only woke when the snn came ponring fnll in his face and 
everyljody about cuMip was astir, lie rose hastily, and, seeing some 
of his men on their way to the creek, followed them, and, having re- 
freshed himself with a batli, returned for his breakfast. I,o-wel-li-ta 
again attended him, but iir could not catch her eye, and daind Udt 
speak, so his Ineakfast, though cxci'llent, was only half eujnycd. .\flci' 
eating, he paid a visit to liu' old chief, smoked a pipe with him. but 
made little conversation. A\'au-hat-tan made all the promises concern- 
ing business that could be asked for, and, having distributed a few 
trinkers among the Indians, the Captain began his |iie|iaralions for a 
visit to another cauiji, a uule away. In giving direi'ti(Uis tn Ins nien 
he took care to speak hiud ennugh to be hearil thrnugh all the uig- 
wams. shouting: 

" Peter I you and Louis gn on aljead and lind a place clnsc by the 
river to camp, ami we'll Hst^nur ow n tent to-night." 

The quick ear ol' Lo-\vel-li-ta caught the wi>i'ds of cummand, and 
she suspected tliat they were intended, in jiart, for her benetit. The 
Captain and his party were soon otf, and a half hour's stroll brought 
them to the baidv of the river, just where the huge ditfs frown at each 
other across the narrow passage at the foot cd' the rapids. The two 
men who had Ijeen sent on ahead had selectc-d a caniii near the foot 
of the dirt'. The tent was soon ]jitclied, and all hands set to work to 
make themselves eonifortable. A fire was lighteil directly, and their 
pork and bread, kettle and frying-pan were unpacked feu- use. One 
or two started off down the stream with fishing tackle, while the Ca])- 
tain, with an interpreter, visited the Indian lodge near by. The day 
passed pleasantly, and when night set in the party, surrounding a 
huge camp-fire, made themselves merry for an hour or two with song 
and story, ami then all hut tlu' Captain lay down in their lilankets and 
were soon asleeji. 

De Kiviere was busy with Ids own thoughts and hopes and expec- 



tations, and they all clustered .just then around the mysterious maidell, 
Lo-wel-li-ta. It was near midniglit, and the bright moon was pouring 
all its glory across the beautiful stream at his feet. A little wearied by 
watching, he lay, half reclining, by the lire, enjoying the charming 
prosp^'ct, when suddenly a quick shadnw jiassed close behind the tent, 
and a low voice reached his ear, with the brief summons, " Come." 
I)e Kiviere rose quickly to his feet. The shadow was gone, but a 
stealthy footstep rustling over the leaves guided him, and he followed 
till he reached the summit of the cliff. All was black and still. Then 
he caught the glimpse id a hand beckoning him in the moonlight. He 
stepped forward a few h^et toward the edge of the clill', when suddenly 
a strong hand seized him by the throat, and, before he could otter any 
resistance, he found himself bound hand and foot and thrust into a 
<'revice of the rock in studi a way that he could scarcely move a lindi. 
.\ rough hand bound a licit nf wampum abnut ins face, whicli effect- 
ually prevented his seeing or sjieakiug above a whisper. " Ugh I 
stealee squaw me," said a voice close to his ear, and, after some further 
]irecautions to prevent his escape, the nwner of the voice added: 
" Heap good place stay. Come again," with which cond'orting assur- 
ance old Wan-liat-tan, for be it was. sbile stealthily away down the 
cliff. " Well, well," thovight the Captain, " this is a predicament, sure 
enough," and he began to struggle to free his hamls. But the old 
chief bad dune his wurk very thoroughly, and, after a severe elfort, 
I)e Uivieri' gave up for the jiresent and began tu think. Let us leave 
him thinking, reader, while we go back a moment to the eaniji of 
Wau-hat-tan. It seems that with true Indian precaution the chief had 
set an old squaw to watch the Captain and his attendant the night 
before, and she, understaniling a little English, had caught the words 
De Kiviere had spoken, noticed the scared look of the girl, and it was 
she, instead of Lo-wel-li-ta, who pa.s.sed by in the Uinoulight and re- 
ceived the note, reiieating the sign she had seen the girl irse. so that 
De Kiviere wa-- i iiiii]iletely deceived. .\11 this was duly revealed to 
the chief, and the note passed over to him. This note was, of course, 
no use as proof, for no one there eoidd read, but the old fellow's sus- 



piriniis wi'i-f unmscd, mid dircrlly the ('..it p.-irlv liiul Icl'l tlic <\\m\, I.n- cxchuiialinii, slic cut \\w iIi.iml's wliic-li lirM his f.M'l and di:iL'.^cd Iniii, 

«cl-li-ta wufi placed mnicr strii-l stirvuilhuicc. At nif^ht.as we have aliiK.st lifelews, to tlie briiw nf the elili. lie fell heavily a^i he reached 

si'cii, Waii-hat-tau simglit his reveiiiri' (or what he evidently considered ilie top. and lay insensilile. Tlie jioor girl was in agony, but she was 

an attenijit to steal his S(|uaw. , I enough to know wliat was the niattci-. and what to do. She 

.\rter securing De liiviio-e tlie chiel' rclui-iied til Ids camp. Puling ipdcUly loosciic'd his clothing ahout the t liroat. ;ind with her hands 

his absence a jiarty who had been out on a hunting expedition had ilip|,cd water from a pocd on the rock near her and sprinkled it in his 

come in. They had called at the fort on their way in, and had ob- |'a,c. Diri'clly be oiiened his eyes with a start, and, seeming to take 

tained, among their purchases, a too plentiful sti]iiily of tire-water. in t he whole state of the case at a glance, lie cried out: "Thank God," 

The Winnebagoes loved whisky then as well as they do now. and belorc and then addeil, as his eye f(dl upon his brave deliverer: •• Surely He 

morning old Waudiat-tan and his whole camp were sound and fast in has scut His angid to save my life." " .No, not an angel, sir, at all, 

a drunken sleep. l,o-wcl-li-ta was on the locdi-out, and watched ),ut only nie." replied the girl in smli ]Mire Knglisli as revealed 

with eager anxiety the ellect of the spirits till satisfied that all was ilu- fact that she wa.-, as Pe Kivicre had suspected, not a Winne- 

safe, she stole softly away, and in a lew I icnts stoo<l beside the tent ba.i.;(p S(piaw . but an lOnglish lady. " Is it )iossible that you found 

on the river bank. She suspected that there li:ul been foul pla\-, for ,,ne of the bits id' paper in the river?" asked I ic l.'iviere. " Yes, 

she had heard A\'au-liat-tan go away in tlie night and return. I'.y ii here it is." she replied, )iroilncing it. "And it is a miracle that I 

cautious survey of the camp she became .satisfied that He Itiviere was discovered it, but there is no time for explanations now, for Wau- 

gon< — but where'.' t flat was the question. She dare not wake the men hat-tan will show you no mercy if be finds you again. I know tins 

to ini|uirc, and, as it was growing light, she was about to return, when country, \ ou do not; follow me." So saying, she Iieliieil him to rise._ 

lier quick eye caught sight of a bit of paper Hoating past,.iust at the and then led off down the cliff, HeKiviere following as fast as he could, 

edge of the stream. She hastily descended the bank ami iiicked it up. l,nt slowly and painfully at best. l,o-wel-li-ta understood the haliits 

(In it was wrilti^n: '■On the cliff. Come qiiiidi. De 1!." .\nil, sooner ,,f Wan-hat -tan and his band, and knew that none of them would dis- 

Iban I can tell the story, the daring girl bad scali'd the rock and stood cover her absence or give her a thought, until the fire-water was all 

listening. A groan attracted her attention, and she ha-tened to the gone, and site remembered with such pleasure as the remembrance 

edge of the i)reeii)ice, and there, in a crevice .just below her, lay He of whisky never gave before or since, that a larger supply than usual 

Hiviere. After a most ]iainful exertion he had succeeded in freeing iuid been brought in. As they reached tlie foot of the clitf, the girl 

one hand, and had torn the \\:iuipnm otf his face, but his body was so led the way by a ciriuitoiis path, so avoiding both camps, down to the 

wedged in lietwi'en the ro(d<s, and his feet so bound together, tliat he mouth of the little creek, reaching there .just as the sun was rising, 

could not help himself. With his free hand he liad taken out his note Here, hid among the bushes, was a canoe, wdiich was quickly launched, 

book, and. having written a niessa.ge cui each of a score of leaves, he and HeEiviere unwillingly submitted to kiicel amidships, and permit 

tore them out and tbi-ew them out upon the river, with tlie liope his fair companion to do the work. She dropped lightly into the 

that some of them iniglil be noticed and iiicked up by his party: and. stem, and with a few vigorous strokes of the paddle sent the light 

witli this ftirloiu hope to cheer him, he had stru.ggled to free himself, craft swiftly past the low ground and under the shadow of the cliffs 

but in vain, and he had just given up exhausted when Lo-wel-li-ta below. " 'f here," said the maiden, as she blushingly yielded the pad- 

drop]ieil dow n beside him. \\'ithiiut stoiqiing for a word or even an die to He liiviere, " now we can afford an introduction. You are the 



captain of tlip fort party, I believe, sir, and I am—well, not exactly 
what I seem, and my name is Margaret Stanhope. I am here and 
have thrust myself npun iitm. sir, in sheer desperation, as my first and 
only cluiiice of escape from bondafre— I pray yonr pardon, and now I 
am in yonr ]iower. I believe I can trust you, but I be}; yon, as you 
fear God, help me oul of my distress." Durini: this spirited speech, 
there was a look in lier deeii lilue eyes which said as jihunly as words 
could say it, " 1 am afraid 1 have forfeited your good opinion, sir, but 
I appeal to your honor as a gentlenuin, and I trust you, because I 
must." De Riviere kept his eyes fixed upon her face until she had 
finished, and tlien replied, more like a civilized lover than a frontiers- 
man: " My dear lady, I believe I owe you my life; but were it not so, 
a lady in disti'ess has a <'laim upon me, wbii-h, (mm! lielpiiiL' me, I will 
never fail to honor. My name is De Eiviere, and my business here 
you already know, but," added he, " may I be permitted to know 
something more of Miss Stanhope's liistory?" " Certainly," she re- 
plied, coloring a little, the name was so new to her, "but first, what 
are your jilans?" " To giTctirectly to the fort," he replied, "and it is 
probably safest and liest to follow the river." " Very well," she re- 
plied, "as you think best, and now for my story in brief, ^[y father 
was a New Orleans merchant. Five years ago he visited the upper 
waters of the Mississippi, and witli a' foolish love of adventure, and 
not a little determined obstinacy, I fear, I earnestly liegged to accom- 
pany Inm. lie at first objected, but at length yielded to my importu- 
nity, for my iTiother died in my infancy and I was a petted, sjioiled 
cbihl. But let me make my story very short. I went with my father 
and saw him brutally murdered by the Sioux Indians. I fell into 
their bands a prisoner and lived with them until aliouta year ago. In 
a battle between the Sioux and AVinnebagoes, the latter were victori- 
ous, and [, with other prisoners, was brought away to this region, 
reaching the present camp of AVau-hat-tan a little less than three 
months since. I have been generally treated witli kindness by the 
Indians; have never met with a serious insult, nor any gross rudeness 
whatever. Why, God knows. It is He wlio has jirotected me while 



many poor creatures of my own sex have been most cru(dly beaten 
and overtasked. On my arrival here I soon learned that there was a 
trading station near by, and 1 have been watching every day for an 
opportuuity to escape, aiui here I am." 

The thought of what this brave girl liad endured, brought tears to 
the Captain's eyes, and in a voice full of sympathy be Ihauked lier 
for her story and her confidence. 

The sun was now well up, and liot. but they dare not stop. Keep- 
ing the boat under the shadow of the shore as laiuch as possil)le, they 
hurried on, and a little past noon they reached the fort landing and 
proceeded at once to the (piarters of the commandant. There was 
not a little rude staring and some coarse jesting among the men who 
were lounging about when De Hiviere passed in with a Winnebago 
squaw, as she appeared to be, and Miss Stanhope felt it so keenly that 
she said to De Riviere, '^ 1 have been nearly five years with the In- 
dians, but never have I been so ill treated in my life before as by these, 
my own countrymen." A moment's conversation with Colonel Stim- 
son, the commandant, explained all, and in the hospitable home of 
Mrs. Stimson, our lieroine doffed the habiliments of the forest for 
more fitting attire, and though some traces of paint remained a long 
time to remind tier and others of the past, yet her new-found friends 
soon forgot the comely Lo-wel-li-ta in the beautiful form and face, and 
the yet more beautiful character, of sweet Maggie Stanhope. 

Here she lived till the autuiun expedition to the lake, when she, 
longing fiu- civilization, and Cajifain De -Riviere longing for hn\ found 
their way to New York. Thence they journeyed to that iiuiet home 
on the Canadian river, and there in after days grandfather .John told 
to ^laggies of the third and fourth generations, the strange story of 
grandma Lo-wel-li-ta. 

This, reader, is the romance of the clilf over yonder, on your left 
as you enter the Dells from below. The story must be true, for it is 
vouched for by a nundier of very respectable descendantsof the great 

WAr-H.\T-T.\X. 



I 



